By
Laura Hyde |
German shipbuilder Meyer Werft is to build a Disney Wish-class cruise ship for Oriental Land Company (OLC). The ship, which will operate Disney cruises for the Japanese market, is expected to be delivered in 2028 and begin operations in early 2029.
The ship is expected to feature many signature Disney venues and experiences with select modifications specially designed to cater to Japanese guests. It will be powered by LNG and is expected to include around 1,250 staterooms.
“I am very happy to sign this contract today and win OLC as a new customer from Japan,” said Bernard Meyer, Meyer Werft managing director, who signed a shipbuilding contract in Tokyo, Japan, on 9 July 2024. “This order contributes to the long-term development of shipbuilding in Papenburg [Germany].”
Meyer Werft delivered the first ship in the Wish-class to Disney Cruise Line in 2022. The shipbuilder is currently constructing two sister ships Disney Treasure and Disney Destiny, which are scheduled to be delivered to Disney in 2024 and 2025 respectively.
“With this new order, we look forward to continuing our relationship with Disney and working with OLC, which also has a long-standing relationship with Disney, as a new customer,” said Bernd Eikens, CEO of the Meyer Group. “This is a strong signal for shipbuilding in Papenburg and shows that companies from all over the world rely on the quality of Meyer Werft.”
The OLC currently owns and operates Tokyo Disney Resort in Japan and this agreement with Disney will enable it to bring “the magic of Disney cruise” to the Japanese market for the first time.
“I am sincerely proud that Disney and Oriental Land will be able to work together to create a world-class cruise business in Japan,” said Yumiko Takano, representative director, chairperson and CEO of OLC. “Oriental Land will use their know-how from the theme park business to continue pushing boundaries and provide family entertainment cruise experiences filled with inspiration and surprise.”